Golf club accelerometer



Dec. 28, 1965 E. PETRASH 3,226,704

GOLF CLUB ACCELEROMETER Filed July 22, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 bm/@ Pfr/@Asa 1 NVENTOR.

faz/5W# United States Patent O V, 3,226,704 GOLF CLUB ACCELEROMETER Edward Petrash, 18020 Rancho Drive, Encino, Calif. Filed July 22, 1963, Ser. No. 296,770 Claims. (Cl. 340-262) A.This invention relates to a golf club accelerometer, andm-ore particularly to an electronic golf swing reminder which senses improper. swinging of a golf club.

Many golfers are prone to accelerate their clubs too much on the back swing tending to throw the player off balance. Also,- the club may be slowed down too quickly at-,the top of the back swing or start into the down swing witha jerking motion. 'Ihe` golfer may also exhi-bit an incomplete follow-through. Itis a primary object of the present invention to providean accelerometer for golf clubs which will emit a signal when the club is swung improperly.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a battery operated buzzer which may be attached to a golf club to emi-t a signal when the golf club is subjected to an erratic swinging motion in a predetermined direction.

'Yet' another object of the present invention is to provide an accelerometer for a golf club which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and may be readily attached tod a golf club in one position to emit a signal when the yc'lubis 'subjected to a jerky swinging motion at the onset of ado'wn swing and which may be readily rotated upon the sha'ftof the golf club to a second position where it will indicate an erratic'swinging motion at the onset of the back swing or an incomplete follow-through.

The features of the present invention whic'h are believed to be novel are set forthwith particularly in the appended claims. The present invention, both -a-s to its organization and mannerof operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view of a golf club with a device of the invention attached thereto in a rst operating position;

IFIGURE 2 is a Vertical, cross-sectional View taken along line 2 2 of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical, cross-sectiona1 view taken along yline 3 3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a transverse, cross-sectional view taken along line 4 4 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a partial cross-sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken along line 5 5 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 is a partial cross-sectional View taken along line 6 6 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a perspective View of a clamp employed with the device in FIGURE l;

FIGURE 8 `is a perspective view of the clamp of FIG- URE 7 shown engaging the shaft of a golf club in the lower portion of the figure and being assembled to the accelerometer of the invention in the upper portion of the ligure;

FIGURE 9 is an elevational View of an accelerometer of the present invention in position on a golf club in a second operating position; and

FIGURE 10 is a top view taken along line 10 10 of FIGURE 9.

Referring again to the drawings, a golf club accelerometer of the present invention, generally designated 10, includes a cylindrical casing 12 having anencompassing side wall 14, a removable end plate 16 and a perforated nose portion l18. A battery compartment 20 is mounted in the upper portion of the casing 12 and 'a compartment 22 is mounted in the lower portion of the casing 12 to 3,226,704 Patented Dec. 28, 11965 h-ouse -the electrical components 24 of t-he device. The electrical components 24 include an electric buzzer 26 having a coil 27,l a pole piece 28 and an armature or vibrating plate 29. The pole piece 28 is riveted, as indicated by 32, to a bracket 34 which serves as a mounting bracket and a ground for buzzer 26. The bracket 34 is secured to the side wall 14 with a stove bolt 36. The vibrating contact plate 29 extends to a point adjacent the pole piece 28 and is attracted thereto when the coil 27 is energized by completing a circuit through a lead 38, a set screw 40, a lead 41, a microswiteh 42, a lead 43 and a pair of batteries 44. The frequency of the buzzer 26 may be adjusted by turning the set screw 40 which threadedly engages a sleeve 45 which, in turn, is mounted in a collar 46. The collar 46 is mounted in an insulating bushing 47 which is attached to the encompass-ing wall 14 with screws 48.

The microswitch 42 is adjustably mounted on a bracket 52. The bracket 52 is rigidly affixed -to the bracket 34 :by the screw 36 and includes sloted apertures 54 (FIGURES 5 and 6) through which microswitch mounting bolts 56 extend. A threaded plate ,58 is employed tok threadedly engage the bolt 56 and maintain the microswitch 42 in position on the bracket 52. The microswitch 42 isnormally open and i-s actuated by depressing a push button 60. A plate 62 forms an integral part olf a pendulum mem-ber 64 and depresses the button 60 when t-he pendulum 64 is swung in one direction. The pendulum 64 is swingably mounted on a pin 66 and carries a weight 68 at its lower end.

A bifurcated mounting bracket 70 is rigidly aihxed to the casing `12 by a weldment 72 and is engageable by a clip '74 to secure the casing 12 to the shaft 76 of a golf club 78. A resilient pad is encased by the clip 74 and grips the shaft 76 to preven-t the accelerometer 10 from rotating about the club 78. The accelerometer 10 is shown mounted on the underside of the club 78 in FIG- URE 1 and Ion the top side of the club 78 in FIGURE 9. This is because the accelerometer is actua-ted when accelerated in one direction only since the casing 12 permits movement of the weight in only one direction. The buzzer 26 is actuated when the pendulum 64 is swung in the direction of the arrow 82 shown in FIGURE 3 so that the plate 62 will depress the button 60. The sensitivity of the pendulum may be Iadjusted by moving the switch 42 up or down, as the case may be, in the slotted apertures 54 by loosening bolts 56 or by moving the accelerometer 10 up or down the shaft 76.

When the accelerometer 10 Iis mounted on the underside o fthe club 78, as shown in FIGURE 1, the ac celerometer is actuated by a sudden stop at the top of the back swing or a jerking motion when starting into the down swing. The weight 68 and the arm or pendulum 64 weigh approximately 3% grams, which has been found to actuate the device against the switch bias on the button 60 only when a swing is not smooth. The device may be moved to the position shown in FIGURE 9 to indicate an erratic swinging motion at the outset of the back swing or an incomplete follow-through. In this position, the -accelerometer is activated from an opposite direction. It iis understood that when the accelerometer is actuated in either mounting position to close switch 42, the buzzer 27 will be operated to indicate an unacceptable motion.

While the particular golf club accelerometer herein shown and described in detail is fully capable of attaining the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore stated, it is to be understood that it is merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiment of the invention and that no limitations are intended to the details of construction or design herein shown other than as dened in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An accelerometer for a golf club comprising:

inertia means including an inertia Weigh-t attached to an arm;

a pivot pin rigid with the shaft `of said club for pivotally mounting said arm, said arm normally eX- tending parallel to said shaft, said arm when pivoted about said pin having a component-or movement substantially perpendicular to said shaft, switch means positioned in the path of movement of said arm, yieldable restraining means to hold said arm in its normal position;

and said switch means actuated yby said -arm when said arm has been caused to pivot by acceleration force developed on saidvweight during swing movement of said club at an undesirable high acceleration for prof 3. An accelerometer for `a golf club as defined in claim 2 wherein said attaching means comprising a clamp attaching said housing to said shaft at a location below said shaft and adjacent the :head of said clubso that said inertia means operates said. indicator means upon a sudden stop at the top of the back swing or a jerky motion when starting into the down swing.

4. An accelerometer for a golf alubias defined in claim 2 wherein said attaching means comprises a clamp attaching said housing to said shaft at a location above said shaft and adjacent the head of said club so that said inertia means operates indicator meansup-on a sudden movement of the outset of the back swing or an incomplete follow-through.

ducing a signal indicating undesirable move-ment ofy l said club. 2, An accelerometer rfora golf club comprising:

a housing for said accelerometer;

means for attaching said accelerometer to the shaft of the golf club; l

inertia means comprising an inertial weight supported on an arm;

a pivot pin carried by said housing for pivotally mounting said arm, said arm normally extending parallel to said shaft, said arm when pivoted about said pin 'I having a component of movement substantially perpendicular to saidl shaft, switch means positioned in the path of movement of said arm, yieldable restraining means to hold said arm in its normal position;

lsaid switch means actuated by said arm when said arm has been caused to pivot by acceleration force developed on said Weight during movement of said club in an undesirable manner -to develop undesirable high acceleration; and

indicator means actuated by said switch means for indicating undesirable movement of the club.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,132,111 10/1938 Honegger 20G-61.49 2,643,371 6/1953 Sleeger 340-261 2,686,853 8/1954 Mathues ZOO-61.49 y 2,787,470 4/ 1957 Barrus et al. 340-262 X l2,804,306 8/1957 Chedister et al. 273.186 2,942,456 6/ 1960 Hardway 20D-61.49 2,986,615 5/1961 Hardway 20G- 61.45 3,106,403 10/1963 Kirkman 5. S40-262 3,113,781 12/1963 Guier T 273-186. 3,113,782 12/1963 Guier 273-.-186

FOREIGN APATENTS 523,707 7/ 1940 England. 409,095 2/ 1925 Germany.

NE1L C. READ, Primary Examiner'. 

1. AN ACCELEROMETER FOR A GOLF CLUB COMPRISING: INTERTIA MEANS INCLUDING AN INERTIA WEIGHT ATTACHED TO AN ARM; A PIVOT PIN RIGID WITH THE SHAFT OF SAID CLUB FOR PIVOTALLY MOUNTING SAID ARM, SAID ARM NORMALLY EXTENDING PARALLEL TO SAID SHAFT, SAID ARM WHEN PIVOTED ABOUT SAID PIN HAVING A COMPONENT OR MOVEMENT SUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULAR TO SAID SHAFT, SWITCH MEANS POSITIONED IN THE PATH OF MOVEMENT OF SAID ARM, YIELDABLE RESTRAINING MEANS TO HOLD SAID ARM IN ITS NORMAL POSITION; AND SAID SWITCH MEANS ACTUATED BY SAID ARM WHEN SAID ARM HAS BEEN CAUSED TO PIVOT BY ACCELERATION FORCE DE- 